In the production of newspapers on modern high speed rotary printing presses now being done largely by offset lithography, the printed and folded newspapers come from the presses in rapidly moving continuous streams. The stream of papers goes to a stacker where individual bundles of newspapers are prepared, each of which contains a predetermined number of individual newspapers. From the stacker the bundles, after being tied, are commonly directed to a distribution system that delivers the bundles to a plurality of dispatching or mailing stations for ultimate distribution to the consumer. An example of one of such distribution or newspaper mailroom system is described in Rushforth U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,513 which issued Aug. 31, 1976. The system described in this patent illustrates one of the problems encountered in proper distribution of the newspaper bundles, viz. the transfer of the bundles from a conveyor moving in one direction to another conveyor that is moving in a different direction. In view of the fact that the delivery speeds are very high, it is readily apparent that swift, accurate transfer of bundles between conveyors comprising the distribution system are absolute necessities.
It is a principle object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for receiving bundles of newspapers from a first conveyor system and discharging them onto a second conveyor system which is travelling in a direction different from that of the first conveyor.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved newspaper bundle handling apparatus in which bundles received from a first conveyor are accurately positioned on a receiving surface and then discharged onto a second conveyor in a direction having a component of movement parallel to the direction of travel of the second conveyor.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a bundle handling apparatus in which positioning of the bundle is automatically initiated by appropriately located bundle sensing means.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part obvious and in part explained by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings in which: